Running 102- Improve your running by running

So it makes sense that the more you do something the better you get at it right? But how do you get better at certain things if you don't seem to improve on it or can't fit the time in to continue working on it? I decided I have a brief window of time (about 30 minutes) on Saturday mornings while Wylie is at fencing practice to go running.

Coach Kelly suggested I do a warm up of 5 to 10 minutes followed by some serious intervals of 1.5 to 2 minutes on hard followed by 30 second recovery. I was to do this for ten to 15 minutes meaning six repetitions of the intervals. I then finished the workout with a five minute cool down and some active stretching.

I thought the distance was at most 1/2 mile one way. It turns out the distance is between .7 and .8 miles one way with some small side streets added to the distance. The road is also a slight hill which gives a nice challenge but nothing major.

I did well with the warm up again my warm up pace is getting faster and I was at a 11 min pace for the warm up. In my intervals I pushed it managing one 2 minute hard run but it took a full minute recovery so I reduced my hard run to 1.5 and I was able to recover in 30 seconds which allowed me to keep up the hard burst short recovery intervals for the 12 minutes I wanted to do it. I did a nice 5 minute cool down run and then finished with some stretching and leg swings etc.
A great Saturday run overall.

What it did for my Tuesday run was amazing. We just did a basic out and back on Burke Centre Parkway in class followed by a series of core work. I kind of thought it would be tougher than it was and just pushed it on my own terms. I managed to go further than I had previously gone in the 10 minutes (just shy of Roberts Road!!!!!!!) managing a 10:30 mile pace on the way out and then keeping a slightly faster push on the way back.
I managed the ELUSIVE NEGATIVE SPLIT.
I'll be running on Saturday mornings from now on doing these intervals and pushing it on the weekdays.

Here is an interesting idea on improving at running by running:
http://www.berfrois.com/2012/05/you-improve-at-running/